I'm Joel Mertes, and I'm setting out on April 30th 2018 on a long journey across the Western United States to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  My journey will take place primarily on the Pacific Crest Trail (or PCT) which runs from the US/Mexico border to the Canadian border. The journey spans roughly 2,600 miles through the deserts of Southern California, the Sierra Nevada mountain range, and through the beautiful forests of Oregon, and Washington. 

I'm doing this in memory of one of the most amazing women I've ever known- my friend, Katie who lost her battle to Cystic Fibrosis just a few short years ago. Also in support of my cousin, Nina who is still battling Cystic Fibrosis everyday and beating the odds showing the world the true warrior she is.

 This fundraiser is my attempt to help the CF community and make a difference. The goal is to raise $2/mile walked for roughly 2,600 miles, or as far as my legs will take me. 
$1 - in honor of Katie and those who've lost their lives battling CF
$1 - in support of Nina and those still fighting to breathe everyday. 

I'll be documenting my journey and have several resources to keep the community involved such as a link to video logs and a webpage that can be found here.  

Webpage  (clickable link)
Vlogs   (clickable link)

Thank you so much on behalf of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for taking the time to listen and I'm infinitely grateful for any support, help, or sharing you can provide for this cause. Thanks for listening and see you on the trail!

-Joel